Anyone know a good jazz instructor in Orange County, CA?
 

Hello,

I just started lessons for the first time in my life as a bassist. I've been teaching myself before now for the past couple of years. I figured it was time I shell out a little hard earned dough and hopefully get some help into progressing my playing along.

I have my doubts about the guy I've been going to. I listened to his tracks on my space. Great player. Obviously knows how to play jazz. The problem is I've had two lessons so far and he's rescheduled on me twice. He also didn't show me anything new on the second lesson. He just reviewed my playing on the first lesson and told me to keep working on it til next time. I take a lesson once every two weeks.

He also told me to get two books. The Real Book and Jazz Theory by Mark Levine. I got both, and on the first lesson I only had the Real Book. The other one was still in the mail. On the second lesson, I had both books and he didn't show me anything out of the new book, but instead asked me if I had worked on anything from it :confused: Isn't that what I'm paying him for? I could buy books on my own and work out of them without instruction for free, which is what I've been doing for the past couple years.

Is this normal? Anyway, now that I'm done ranting, anyone know anyone good and reliable instructor around my neck of the woods? Thanks!

well...don't know the answer, but i can turn you on to the guy in Vancouver my son takes lessons from via skype...he's definitely the real deal.

A jazz guy? Reasonable rates? The guy I have now is charging $60 an hour. How much does the skype service cost you additionally?

Darryl Williams is in the Orange County area. He's a great player and does teach some. He's a busy working pro, though, so he may also have to reschedule from time to time. I would have to know specifically what he was having you work on to know what is going on-a Real Book tune, walking lines, chord tones, etc. to have an opinion about direction. Learning Jazz takes a bit of time to get concepts going sometimes. Mark's book is more of a good reference for Music Theory and Jazz and it will likely come in handy later. You can probably get in touch with Darryl through Carvin Guitars.
http://darrylwilliamsmusic.com/
$60 is reasonable for a Skype lesson. I charge $65 and Adam Nitti charges $70 AFAIK. Jeff Berlin is significantly more as you might guess.

Skype is free AFAIK, but you have to invest 20.00 or so for a computer camera, if you do not have one already.

don't know the guy's rates, cause he gives us a special one

PM me and i'll give you his name and email address and you and he can talk....if you are interested....believe me, he's good.

He's having me work on Autumn Leaves from the Real Book. Just walking over the changes. He says we'll get through walking and then go on to soloing. I already know my fretboard and chord shapes and scales and all that good stuff. I will look into what Darryl has to offer. Thanks Roy! :)

Will do. Thanks Dave! :)

I did 4 online lessons on Autumn Leaves on my old columns for Eden. Check out lessons 15-18 in the Beginning Bass section.
http://www.eden-electronics.com/info.../roy/index.asp

Cool! Thanks!

Luther Hughes maybe?

http://www.lutherhughes.com/

Maybe you should post this in the DB forum for jazz...

Great choice!

He looks cool, but I'm playing electric and don't own a double bass. I don't see any info on his homepage about lessons, either.

I think the best jazz instructors you'll get are on DB.. You can always ask them if they can teach you even if you're on electric; chances are they're great electric players too.

Thanks all. I'm going to another lesson tonight and I'll see how it goes. I've got a good set of leads to go on now if it doesn't work out. Thanks again! :)

Update: Maybe I was jumping the gun. I went to my lesson last night and walked over the changes for Autumn Leaves and my instructor was very pleased and impressed! :D

He asked me if there was another song I would like to work on and I picked Footprints. He had me play the groove as well as walk over the changes on that one last night and said my playing sounded solid and that I'm ready to start learning how to solo! :D

He gave me some additional instructions on how to further work on the two aforementioned songs until next time and then we'll start working on soloing! :D Very cool! :hyper: